Ultra-slim new TiVo box cuts through commercials, streams 4K

TiVo Bolt introduces new SkipMode commercial skipping function

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Everyone is jumping on the train to 4K, including the digital recording video company TiVo.

While the tech world was still reeling from the announcement of the new Chromecast, TiVo snuck out a quick release this afternoon about a new streaming box called the Bolt that will work with both over-the-air antennas as well as traditional cable cards.

What relation does a TiVo box have to the atmospheric discharge of electricity? The Bolt's able to skip through commercials with one button press.

The feature, called SkipMode, will allow the box to recognize when a commercial break occurs in a recorded TV episode or movie and automatically skip through the break instead of requiring the user to manually fast-fastforward.

The Bolt will support 4K streaming from services like Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix on Ultra-HD TVs - something that very few set-top boxes currently allow - as well as OnePass, TiVo's name for universal search and content management system. It will also come with a "find my remote" button on the back of the box that, when pressed, causes the remote to emit a melody to make it easier to find.

A 500GB version of the box, which has a markedly smaller form factor and oscillating curve design, will retail for $299.99 and include one year of TiVo's subscription service starting on September 30. TiVo will also offer a 1000GB Bolt, which again includes the first year of annual service, for $399.99.